Birds and nature - another walk round Rye Harbour nature reserve from Winchelsea Beach and back via Castle Water - 20th April 2026

I saw this white horse standing patiently in a field when I set off from Winchelsea Beach

Male Pheasant lurking by a garden hedge

Sedge Warbler well disguised in the branches of a tree

Shelduck standing in shallow water at the Salt Pool

Female Stonechat standing on top of a post at the edge of the Salt Pool

Linnet perching on the wire fence

Two Avocets stretching their wings

Group of Avocets having a meeting in a shallow scrape

Two Bar-tailed Godwits - one in winter plumage and the other in summer plumage - arrived in the scrape

The Avocets checked out the Bar-tailed Godwits

then left them to it!

The Spotted Redshank in summer plumage was at the far side of the Salt Pool

Common Whitethroat on a bare-branched shrub

Oystercatchers on one of the little islands at Flat Beach

Groups of Sandwich Terns on islands in the shallow water of Flat Beach

Four Whimbrels were in the grass at the other side of the water - viewed from Gooders hide

Suddenly the Sandwich Terns took to the air

then landed again

I left the reserve to walk along the road to the Castle Water entrance - on the way along the road I saw a Goldfinch near the top of a tree

Speckled Wood butterfly on the footpath

Pied Wagtail in the grass near Castle Water

Rabbit sitting underneath a tree

I was happy to see a small group of Yellow Wagtails in a field by Castle Water

Cormorant drying its wings in front of Halpin hide at Castle Water

Oystercatcher on rocks in front of the Halpin hide

I left the reserve at one of the exits near to Harbour Farm and came across a large duck pond - with a few Mallards - on one of the side roads leading to the main road between Rye and Winchelsea Beach

Great Wisteria plant in flower on a house overlooking the duck pond

 

Birds, wildlife, nature and Camber Castle - walk round Rye Harbour Nature Reserve on 18th April 2026

My walk from Winchelsea Beach to the main part of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve took me past these two beautiful white horses in a field near an entrance to the reserve

I went past several modern houses

and one with an old railway carriage attached to the side

Robin singing happily in the morning sun

Common Whitethroat at the top of the branches

Little Egret in the Salt Pool

Distant Spotted Redshank in summer plumage some distance away in the Salt Pool

Another Common Whitethroat singing on the top of a tall shrub

Avocets on a little island in one of the lagoons

Some rather extravagant additions to mobile homes at the edge of Rye Harbour holiday park

RNLI crew cruising along the river Rother

Avocet and a Mallard with a lot of ducklings - viewed from Gooders hide

Groups of Sandwich Terns on small islands at Flat Beach

The iconic black tin shed with red roof and white windows/door

Church at the edge of the road in Rye Harbour

Blossom on the path in the other part of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve leading to Castle Water

Sheep with a lamb, plus Jackdaw, in a field at Castle Water

It was great to see a group of Yellow Wagtails in the sheep field at Castle Water

Light-coloured goose with a Greylag on Castle Water

Approaching Camber Castle after a long walk round the reserve

Yellow Snapdragon growing on the side of the castle

Camber Castle from the other side

I was glad they were behind the fence!